The Wikipedia Post — Appendix E: Sanctions

T. D. Adler
4 min readSep 5, 2019

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Editors active in the GamerGate dispute, such as the so-called Five Horsemen of WikiBias, their various protectors, and anti-GamerGate Wikipedia false narrative architect Mark Bernstein, were presented as heroic defenders against outside activists using “throwaway” accounts. While the actual throwaway accounts created for the sole purpose of advancing an anti-GamerGate agenda would remain untouched for nearly five years, many of the others had prior sanctions and would face varying degrees of additional sanctions.

Ryulong

  • In 2009, stripped of his position as a Wikipedia administrator by the Arbitration Committee.
  • From 2009 to 2014 blocked roughly a dozen times prior to the GamerGate case for repeatedly undoing edits in excess of the permitted limit.
  • From 2014 to 2015 blocked three times during the GamerGate case for the same reason.
  • Beginning of 2015, banned from Wikipedia indefinitely as part of GamerGate ArbCom case.
  • At the end of 2015, stripped of admin position and self-banned from RationalWiki after repeated conflict over GamerGate.
  • End of 2015, banned two years from Bleach wiki on Wikia. Previously banned from Bleach wiki in 2013.

NorthBySouthBaranof

  • From 2005 to 2013 as Polarscribe and FCYTravis received three blocks for excessively undoing edits.
  • In 2012, resigned as an administrator while editing as Polarscribe after controversial use of multiple accounts.
  • During a 2013 block, created the NorthBySouthBaranof account to edit while Polarscribe account was blocked.
  • From 2013 to 2014 was blocked four times, mostly before the GamerGate case, for excessive undoing of edits.
  • Beginning of 2015, banned from editing articles related to gender controversies and GamerGate as part of GamerGate ArbCom case.
  • Early 2017, ArbCom ban lifted.

Tarc

  • In 2009, received reminder from ArbCom about civility.
  • In 2012 received an admonishment from ArbCom over incivility.
  • In 2013, banned from anything related to transgender topics after revealing that he had been pretending to be a Black Republican to troll discussions.
  • In 2014, banned from pages for discussing conduct issues and the discussion page for Jimmy Wales. Told he could be banned for further misconduct.
  • Early 2015, banned from editing articles related to gender controversies and GamerGate as part of GamerGate ArbCom case. Told he could be banned for further misconduct.
  • Late 2015, banned from Wikipedia for doxing an administrator he believed was too sympathetic to GamerGate.

TheRedPenofDoom

  • Late 2013, agrees under pressure to a voluntary six-month ban from the Rupert Sheldrake article.
  • Early 2015, blocked during the GamerGate case for undoing edits in excess of permitted limits and general civility issues.
  • Early 2015, admonished by ArbCom as part of the GamerGate case.
  • Mid-2015, banned from editing articles related to gender controversies and GamerGate.
  • Late 2015, departed with no word. Similarly named account with similar editing interests appears early next year. Makes several edits that would violate gender-related controversies and GamerGate ban.

TaraInDC

  • Late 2014, account largely ceased editing due to GamerGate case.
  • Early 2015, admonished by ArbCom as part of the GamerGate case.

MarkBernstein

  • Late 2014, banned from GamerGate-related articles by Robert “Gamaliel” Fernandez simultaneously with a user Fernandez long wanted to ban where the justification was more dubious.
  • January 2015, blocked repeatedly for violating GamerGate ban.
  • February 2015, GamerGate ban lifted. Later blocked for incivility.
  • March 2015, banned from editing about gender-related controversies and GamerGate. Blocked for violating ban. Ban and block both lifted. Also banned from interacting with DHeyward and Thargor Orlando.
  • April 2016, banned editing about gender-related controversies and GamerGate.
  • May 2016 — End of 2016, blocked repeatedly for up to six months after repeatedly violating gender-related controversies and GamerGate ban.
  • Late 2017, blocked one year for violating gender-related controversies and GamerGate ban.
  • Late 2018, blocked indefinitely for violating gender-related controversies and GamerGate.

Dreadstar (deceased)

  • March 2015, blocked for excessive undoing of other edits, then later banned self indefinitely. Stripped of admin position by ArbCom mainly over misconduct related to Mark Bernstein.
  • November 2015, unblocked to participate in ArbCom election.

Black Kite

  • August 2015, found to have behaved poorly by ArbCom in a separate gender-related case where he took a stance opposed to most anti-GamerGate editors.
  • December 2015, admonished by ArbCom in a separate gender-related case where he took a stance opposed to most anti-GamerGate editors.

Gamaliel

  • Mid-2016, requested restriction barring him from administrative action on GamerGate, resigned from ArbiCom under pressure, banned from interacting with editor DHeyward, and admonished by the Committee as part of case over April Fool’s Day joke about then-candidate Donald Trump.

Kevin Gorman (deceased)

  • Early 2014, admonished by the Arbitration Committee for conduct unbecoming of an administrator.
  • Early 2016, stripped of admin position by ArbCom.

Future Perfect at Sunrise

  • In 2009, stripped of admin position by ArbCom for three months as part of case regarding the Macedonia naming dispute, barred from use of admin privileges against editors editing about said dispute, given one-year restriction imposing tougher penalties over incivility, and admonished.
  • In 2011, restriction on use of admin privileges lifted with note on respecting rule on taking administrative action when involved in a dispute.
  • In 2016, advised by ArbCom about civility and warned further violations could lead to loss of admin position.
  • In 2018, advised by ArbCom about excessively undoing another user’s edits and warned further violations could lead to loss of admin position.

GorillaWarfare

  • In 2015, found to have behaved poorly by ArbCom in a separate gender-related case.

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T. D. Adler

T.D. Adler edited Wikipedia as The Devil’s Advocate. He was banned after privately reporting conflict of interest editing by one of the site’s administrators.